Monday, November 2, 2015

Choose two characteristics that you’d like to reinforce in yourself. Recount one or two empowering stories from your past relating to each of these characteristics.

I am able to synthesize information and experiences, and form meaningful stories that help me to see the, or a, bigger picture and re-story the events of my life into empowering reminders of the choices I have, as to how to see the world in a way that empowers myself and others to become aware of possibility.

At a pivotal time in my life, I decided to write a blog. A blog about my personal experiences, and how I metabolized them. It was a bold move on my part. I always have enjoyed writing and the power of story and had recently become aware, that what i enjoyed writing most, was creative non- fiction. Creative Non- fiction is, defined by Creative Non-Fiction Magazine, this way:

"In some ways, creative nonﬁction is like jazz—it’s a rich mix of ﬂavors, ideas, and techniques, some of which are newly invented and others as old as writing itself. Creative nonﬁction can be an essay, a journal article, a research paper, a memoir, or a poem; it can be personal or not, or it can be all of these. "

There is actually more to the definition, or less:

"True stories well told" or "You can't make this stuff up."

"...the creative nonﬁction writer will show that subject, place, or personality, vividly, memorably—and in action. In scenes."

So I began to share some scenes from my life, in a blog and I found that, in the process of doing it, I found the story I wanted to experience most. The story within the story. I'd found my own little pocket monk inside myself. Ultimately my blogs were an online journal. I gave myself immediate permission to write whenever I felt moved to do so. No rules. No expectations. I'd let inspiration move me. That in itself meant the stories I shared were meaningful.
I called the blog, Digging Deeper.

I use the word metabolize. Ultimately, I'd like to reinforce the ability to synthesize, which means at times I have to step back, as is suggested by Timothy B. Wilson in his book, Redirect, and wait for things to marinate in order to metabolize the experience in such a way that it digests. I have a choice.

As a young friend who likes to read my blog once said, "Oh! It has a lesson!"
Forming meaningful stories takes time. Submitting to time is an art. Somewhere down the line, I changed the name of my blog to "The Art of the Matter."

There were experiences in my life I was reluctant to write about. One was a time when, in the midst of it, I was overcome with "what if." When I did write about it, by the miracle of digestion, some enzymes came along and broke it down for me. And I could see it twenty-twenty.

In order to reinforce, we have to remind ourselves. So I affirm:

I am able to synthesize information and experiences, and form meaningful stories that help me to see the, or a, bigger picture and re-story the events of my life into empowering reminders of the choices I have; as to how to see the world in a way that empowers myself and others to become aware of possibility.

I haven't written in my blog in a while. It's not that I haven't felt inspired. I have. Some things just take time to marinate. To metabolize. To digest. It's an art.

Question: How can I step back to see the big picture so that I can give myself the opportunity to reinforce the skills of synthesis and forming meaningful stories?

Can I create meaningful stories in which I choose to see benefits of a situation, and point to possibility?

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About the Author

I believe the most profound insights can be found in the most ordinary occurrences. I enjoy being present in the great outdoors with my family and my pets, and writing about the every day. I am easily and often moved to tears. I love reading, and writing both poetry and prose; hiking and, kayaking and boating on The Chesapeake Bay where I walk the shore line with our family dog Captain looking for sea glass and capturing it all on my I Phone camera. For the past three years, I’ve been reminding myself that I am a Writer, by sharing my thoughts and musings here. If it resonates with you and you feel inclined to share, Please Do. Your Comments are always welcome. I encourage you to share them here.